InfoAnda - Modernising Tibet masks deep contradictions

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

GM turns to eBay to sell cars | Technology | | 11 August 2009
China busts huge crystal meth gang: report | 3 December 2009
ECB's Draghi faces leadership test over euro pledge | | 2 August 2012

Stars, family honor Michael Jackson at funeral | 4 September 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Modernising Tibet masks deep contradictions

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Modernising Tibet masks deep contradictions Reuters - 1 hour 33 minutes ago Send IM Story Print By Ben Blanchard LHASA, China - Tibet is richer and more developed than it has ever been, its people healthier, more literate, and better dressed and fed. But the bulging supermarkets, snappy new airports and gleaming restored temples of this remote and mountainous region cannot hide broad contradictions and a deep sense of unhappiness among many Tibetans that China is sweeping away their culture. Beijing has spent freely to bring development to restless Tibet, part of a grand strategy to win over the proudly Buddhist people by improving their standard of living. In Gaba village, a half-hour drive down a bumpy road from downtown Lhasa, Tibet's bustling capital, residents have seen incomes boom after renting out their farmland to Han Chinese businessmen who grow vegetables there for sale in city markets. Farmer and Communist Party member Suolang Jiancan shrugs when asked if he is worried about Hans taking away land from native Tibetans, who traditionally have grown barley. "It is hard for the local people to learn how to grow the vegetables wanted in the market. The Han can teach us these skills, and we can earn more," he said in his native Tibetan. The influx of Hans, however, is one of the great sources of tension in Tibet. Many Tibetans resent their presence, saying they do not bother to learn the language and dominate the region's economy at the expense of the native population. That is a familiar story to one unemployed graduate of a traditional medicine school. While fashionably dressed and able to speak the fluent Mandarin he learned at school, China's largesse in Tibet has not been enough to win him a job. "Development is no good if I cannot get a job," the man told Reuters in Lhasa's heavily Tibetan old quarter, where patrols of armed paramilitary forces are a constant reminder of China's determination to keep a tight grip on Tibet. "The Chinese are suspicious of Tibetans, especially since March 14," he said, referring to unrest in 2008 ahead of the Beijing Olympics. Frustration at Chinese controls, along with the rise of Han Chinese migrants, boiled over in violent protests in 2008 in Lhasa, in which at least 19 people were killed. The unrest sparked waves of protest across Tibetan areas, which more than two years on has failed to subside despite a heavy military and police presence and harsh punishment for those who question Beijing's authority. The security belies China's claims to have won over Tibetans. "To this day, two years later, they still need to use military and police forces to control the situation. Does it sound like they've won the hearts of the people?" asked prominent Tibetan blogger Woeser. CHINA LAUDS PROGRESS The physical scars the riot left on Lhasa in the form of burnt out markets and buildings have long ago been expunged. Lhasa is starting to look like any other middle-tier Chinese city, with the same fast food outlets and mobile phone stores, and the same unimaginative architecture. For China, there is no question that what they are doing in Tibet is right. Over the past 10 years, the central government has poured a massive 310 billion yuan per person, building infrastructure and developing mining, agriculture and tourism. In January, President Hu Jintao said the government would seek "leap-frog" development in Tibet, raising rural incomes to national levels by 2020. The economy is already growing faster than the rest of China. Large sums have also gone into restoring monasteries and temples, the centre of life for devoutly Buddhist Tibetans, bolstering government claims that China respects religious rights. "If we did not have the support and embrace of the local people, we could not have dealt with March 14 so well, nor could we have made the achievements we have over the past 60 years," said Hao Peng, one of Tibet's Communist Party deputy bosses. "We have already won the hearts and minds of the people," Hao told foreign reporters on a rare, tightly-controlled visit. What China has failed to do is address the alienation many Tibetans feel in the face of breakneck economic progress. "Tibet is a special country and its people are special," said one middle-aged teacher, speaking quietly in a back room behind a shop in Lhasa's old quarter, centre of the 2008 riots. "We don't think about money like Chinese people. We believe in Buddhism, but the Chinese people believe in nothing," he added, requesting anonymity out of fear for repercussions. Chinese officials frequently lash out at "distorted" reports in foreign media about Tibet. Yet there is also a mismatch between the policies China has put in place in trying to modernise a poor and backward region, and Tibet's unique culture. "It's absolutely true that Chinese policy has always been to win over the people by being generous," said Robbie Barnett, a Tibet scholar at Columbia University in New York. "They just don't seem to be able to notice that each time, they mess this up by cracking down on the culture, the history or the religion. They make people pay such a huge price." A Chinese crackdown on dissent following the riots has spread to Tibetan intellectuals and critics see little sign of Beijing changing tack in the current climate of tension. "They just had a big national conference on Tibet in Beijing and pretty much nothing came out of it. It's striking that there hasn't been a coherent response," said Nicholas Bequelin, of New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch. RELIGION NOT ENCOURAGED Much of the Chinese government's claim to legitimacy in Tibet rests on its self-proclaimed protection of Buddhism. And while Tibetans appear generally free to pray at temples and make pilgrimages, religion is not encouraged for the young or Communist Party members. "This is a socialist college, so what need do the students have of temples?" retorted Gesang Qunpei, chancellor of Tibet University, when asked if his students were free to practice their religion. "We're about science and technology here." Religious figures who step out of line can be ruthlessly punished. Rights groups say many monks were arrested after the 2008 protests, and some were tortured in jail. Many others had to attend "re-education" classes and denounce the Dalai Lama. Beijing also keeps a tight grip on key religious positions, saying it has a historical right to appoint top lamas. China's selection in 1995 of its own Panchen Lama, the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism, shortly after the Dalai Lama announced his own choice, has upset many. The six-year-old boy appointed by the Dalai Lama was taken away by Chinese authorities and has disappeared from public view. The Beijing-anointed Panchen Lama is spurned by many Tibetans as a fake, especially in Shigatse, a flyblown town several hours drive west of Lhasa that is his traditional seat. Ask monks in Shigatse's Tashilhunpo monastery whether they believe China's Panchen Lama is the real deal and the response is neutral, despite the millions spent on temple renovations. "I really don't know," said one monk, with a broad grim on his face and shrugging his shoulders. Shigatse's people are less willing to mince their words. "We don't think he is a bad person, but he's a fake," said a wiry Tibetan man selling smuggled cigarettes by the side of a street. "Nobody believes in him. We don't want him." Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles S.Lankan minister on hunger strike over UN probe AFP - 36 minutes ago China lashes out at 'vulgar' online game ads AFP - 43 minutes ago Millions in illegal W.Cup bets seized in Hong Kong AFP - 44 minutes ago Wife of Balibo reporter blames army for killings AFP - 51 minutes ago Man attempts long swim down Yangtze AFP - 52 minutes ago News Search Top Stories IMF raises global growth forecast Greece faces strike chaos as MPs reform pensions Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record Formal charges laid against alleged Russia spies White House touts US export success More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan jailed for 90 days German industry hit by sudden fall in orders Paris Hilton arrested after Brazil World Cup match: reports Europe imposes caps on banker bonuses More Most Viewed » Reclusive top mathematician turns down prize, again Aussie men shoot each other in buttocks 'to see if it hurts' Amputee cat gets bionic legs Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record Fans gather for Michael Jackson death anniversary More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos World Cup 2010 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Thursday, 8 July 2010
Iraqi Shi'ite pilgrims killed by bombers
Cuba set to free 52 dissidents: church officials
US-TECH Summary
Germany to accept two Guantanamo detainees
Baghdad suicide attack and bombs kill 33: officials
Bin Laden's cook pleads guilty at Guantanamo |
Borders sees new e-bookstore taking share
White House touts US export success
Baghdad attacks kill 33 Shiite pilgrims
AT&T, Alcatel Lucent find glitch affecting iPhone 4
Europe imposes caps on banker bonuses
US accuses top Al-Qaeda leaders in NY bomb plot
36 Iraqi Shi'ite pilgrims killed by bombers |
Bin Laden's cook pleads guilty at Guantanamo
Borders launches e-book store
Taiwan flat-panel maker sues Sony for patent infringement
Cuba to free 52 political prisoners: church |
Formal charges laid against alleged Russia spies
Poland to extradite alleged Israeli agent to Germany
New security measures for Apple's iTunes
Fueled by White House success, Netanyahu heads to UN
Quake victims protest in Italy |
British climate scientists cleared of dishonesty
Iran says sanctions might slow nuclear programme
Colombia's Santos invites Chavez to inauguration |
US, Russia planning to exchange spies: lawyer
U.S. court upholds Kuwaiti's Guantanamo detention |
Palestinians wary of direct peace talks with Israel
Turkey's top court annuls parts of reform package |
AT&T, Alcatel Lucent find glitch affecting iPhone 4
Taiwan flat-panel maker sues Sony for patent infringement
Indian army enforces Kashmir curfew after deaths
U.S. unseals new charges against 5 in New York plot
Bodies of Australian tycoon, board leave Congo after crash
Vietnam arrests 99 from Taiwan, China for fraud: report
East Timor hostile to Australian asylum-seeker plan
U.S.-Russia may seek spy swap to free agents
AT&T, Alcatel Lucent find glitch affecting iPhone 4 |
N.Korea warns against UN censure
Ridley Scott helms YouTube competition for documentary
China defends forex reserves investment strategy
Gaultier celebrates strong, seductive women
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Ridley Scott helms YouTube competition for documentary
China AgBank's massive IPO highlights cash squeeze
At 70, Ringo Starr looks for peace and love
Eminem leads U.S. album chart for second week
Ridley Scott teaming up with YouTube on documentary
Norwegian chess prodigy turns to fashion catwalk
Southern Chinese oppose ban on Cantonese TV
Catalonia prepares to vote on bullfight ban
Taiwan to lift ban on individual Chinese tourists
At 70, Ringo Starr looks for peace and love |
Eminem leads U.S. album chart for second week |
Netanyahu offers Palestinians talks on settlements
Spain willing to take Cuba political prisoners: FM
Netanyahu offers Palestinians talks on settlements |
Apple says to open second flagship store in China
NATO airstrike accidentally kills 5 Afghan troops
Swiss solar plane completes historic flight
U.S.-Russia may seek spy swap to free agents |
British gay Anglican 'blocked' from becoming bishop
IMF raises global growth forecast
MySpace sale reports are "fabrications": News Corp exec
Communist Cuba set to free 52 political prisoners
Greece faces strike chaos as MPs reform pensions
Canadian medical reactor gets nod to restart
Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record
Church says Cuba to free 52 political prisoners |
YouTube unveils 'Leanback,' updated mobile site
French court orders more jail time for Noriega
Formal charges laid against alleged Russia spies
Greeks strike against pension reform |
US program to detect cyberattacks on companies, agencies
Bombing suspect arrives in Cuba to face charges |
US government launches new website on Gulf oil spill
Ex-Panama dictator Noriega sentenced to 7 years |
U.S. aims to detect cyber infrastructure attacks: report
Israel PM offers settlement talks if peace talks resume
CNN Middle East editor leaves after Fadlallah 'tweet'
Mexican officials among 8 killed in plane crash |
Wife of Balibo reporter blames army for killings
News
China launches global search for panda keepers
Modernising Tibet masks deep contradictions
Australia police probe devastating attack on crops
China court rejects gay lawsuit over blood donation
U.S. aims to detect cyber infrastructure attacks: report |
East Timor PM open to Australia asylum-seeker plan
Thai PM says monarchy, army should stay out of politics
MySpace sale reports are fabrications: News Corp exec |
S.Korea says N.Korea's blunders caused tensions
Apple says to open second flagship store in China |
Japan's sumo bodyslammed by scandal
Ridley Scott helms YouTube competition for documentary
IMF warns of 'downside risks' in Asia
Seoul shares gain 1.4 pct on shipyards, banks
Economic fears causes Japan machinery order drop
PAKISTAN
S.Korea mortgage growth up; mkts brace for rate move
Srebrenica survivors' long wait to bury their dead
Japan current account surplus first drop in months
Lindsay Lohan's career not over yet
S.Korea household mortgage loans jump in June
Soweto TV, so close yet so far from W.Cup final
S.Korea says foreign ship orders recover from slump
Czech film revisits communist secrets
S.Korean exporters more upbeat on H2 -survey
"Hot in Cleveland" renewed for second season
S.Korea T-bond futures down, wary of rate decision
Grammys change rules following Lady Gaga snub
Turner painting sells for record 29.7 million pounds
"American Idol" joins list of shortened summer tours
Don Johnson prevails in "Nash Bridges" lawsuit
Grammys change rules following Lady Gaga snub |
Lindsay Lohan's career not over yet |
Don Johnson prevails in Nash Bridges lawsuit |
iCarly's Miranda Cosgrove, anything but Despicable |
American Idol joins list of shortened summer tours |
Hot in Cleveland renewed for second season |
Czech film revisits communist secrets |
Betty White, James Cameron join California Hall of Fame |
Swiss solar plane makes history with 26hr flight
Three Britons found guilty in suicide bomb plot |
Three linked to Al-Qaeda held: Norway police
ECB key rate remains same amid bank concerns
Facebook deal creates virtual 'credits'
Norway arrests 3 al Qaeda-linked suspects over plot |
News
General strikes hit Greece and Portugal
Afghanistan graft sharply up as insurgency grows too |
Thousands demonstrate as new strike cripples Greece
Sri Lanka minister launches hunger strike over U.N. probe |
Special Report: In Irish schools, Catholic Church remains master |
Iraq Shi'ite pilgrims trudge on as bombs continue |
Vatican set to revise rules on sexual abuse |
Kyrgyzstan requests $500 mln to rebuild ruined south |
Russian conductor facing sex charges leaves Thailand
Floods in northwest China kill 25
News
Malaysian Islamic courts appoint first women judges
Shanghai residents say forced out for Disneyland
U.S. aims to detect cyber infrastructure attacks: report |
News
Facebook deal means virtual 'credits' can be bought in shops
N.Korea warns against UN censure
S.Lankan minister on hunger strike over UN probe
China lashes out at 'vulgar' online game ads
Pakistan's forex reserves jump to record $16.77 bln
Asian markets lifted on Wall Street's lead
Football, silent film style, comforts German fans
Pakistani rupee at record low vs dollar; stocks up
Lady Gaga gets nostalgic at NY homecoming
S.Korea currency curbs to take effect Fri-govt official
News
India car sales rise 30.8% in June
Why do studios keep losing lawsuits?
PREVIEW-Pakistan's June CPI seen up 12.60 percent
Bollywood's Bachchan back as 'Millionaire' host
China buys record amount of Japan bonds in May
Bollywood tackles Maoist rebels
S.Korea S-Oil restarts RFCC after planned maintenance
Luanda eyes future, neglects architectural past
Geely expects to close Volvo deal in third quarter
China: western regions' growth is key to stability
Fresh faces add zest to Emmy nominations |
Lady Gaga gets nostalgic at NY homecoming |
Prince seeks pied a terre in France |
Why do studios keep losing lawsuits? |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01